Apparatus for the closure in piping of opened fabrics to wind up rolls for producing bias tapes

ABSTRACT

A folding frame for continuously folding a length of cloth in half with its edges in registry for subsequent sewing in which a triangular like folding frame is provided about which the traveling web of textile material is fed and then doubled back upon itself. The frame is mounted so that its incoming edge extends in a substantially vertical direction and the two sides forming the remainder of the triangular shape converge from the upper and lower ends of the incoming side to a terminal apex. This folding frame is mounted so it can be moved laterally back and forth with respect to the supporting structure and can also be oscillated about its own horizontal and vertical axes. Sensing means to automatically respond to lack of registry at the cloth edges is provided together with means to move the edges back into registry when required.

isani 1451 Sept; 18, 1973 APPARATUS FOR THE CLOSURE IN PIPING 2 l 2 m r m e. H d H e m m m h n C m S m H u Fl m e m m A m w k 9 m u m a x o a E s. m 0 3 .m H 3 P.

OF OPENED FABRICS TO WIND UP ROLLS FOR PRODUCING BIAS TAPES Attorney-J0hn R. Bronaugh et al.

[75] Inventor:

Luigi Pisani, Cilavegna, Italy [73] Assrgnee: Virgmio Rimoldi & C., S.p.A., Milan, ABSTRACT A folding frame for continuously folding a length of cloth in half with its edges in registry for subsequent Italy [22] Filed: May 24, 1971 sewing in which a triangular like folding frame is provided about which the traveling web of textile material is fed and'then doubled back upon itself. The frame is mounted so that its incoming edge extends in a substan- Appl. No.: 256,387

0 40 03 72 M0 1D 1. m 3 m 6" l a 2" G St um 12 21 55 [.l

tially vertical direction and the two sides forming the [58] Field 1 22' remainder of the triangular shape converge from the 242/571; 3 upper and lower ends ofthe mcommg slde to atermmal apex. This folding frame is mounted so it can be moved Referencs. Cited laterally back and forth with respect to the supporting UNITED STATES PATENTS structure and can also be oscillated about its own horizontal and vertical axes. Sensing means to automatically respond to lack of registry at the cloth edges is provided together with means to move the edges back into registry when required.

XX n3 2% 2 ll PATENTEDSEPI 8l973 SHEET 3 [IF 3 APPARATUS FOR THE CLOSURE IN PIPING OF OPENED FABRICS TO WIND UP ROLLS FOR PRODUCING BIAS TAPES The present patent application relates to an apparatus for closing open fabrics to form piping and bias tapes by running the open fabric around a triangle-like folding frame and feeding continuously folded fabric to aseaming and fabric roll winding up station.

The said station is usually formed by a sewing machine and a winding up assembly arranged in series.

In the well-known apparatuses for the closure to form piping of opened fabrics the triangle-like folding frame is usually mounted horizontally and its convergent sides practically have an orientation perpendicular to that of the forward movement of the folded fabric as it moves towards the seaming and the winding up station. Hence it is necessary for the folded fabric in these apparatuses, before getting to the seaming and winding up station, to form a right angle in the vertical sense; to conclude it must be placed perpendicularly to the direction of the forward movement of the folded fabric.

This obviously causes the formation of undesired ruffles in the fabric thus worsening both the working of the apparatus and the quality of the roll of folded and sewn fabric obtained.

It is also to be noted that in the well-known apparatuses there is required the presence of an operator to check the alignment of the edges of the folded fabric.

The operator intervenes manually to align the said edges when one of them moves from the predetermined path. In particular the said path is fixed as the sewing machine of the seaming and winding up station is fixed to a frame or support.

'According to what said above it is clear that the apparatuses of the well-known kind practically have two inherent disadvantages of which the first refers to the dimensions of the apparatus due to the distance existing between the triangle-like folding frame and the seaming and winding up station and the second relates to'the high economic cost due to the work of an operator who could be used in other ways. I

Finally it should be noted that there exists greater possibility to form ruffles in the folded fabricdue to the 90 change in direction which the folded fabric must undergo. t

The present patent application aims at'eliminating the mentioned troubles by reducing in particular the sizes of the apparatus and eliminating the presence of the operator by providing automatic means for the monitoring and the adjustment of the alignment of the folded fabric edges.

Elimination of the change in direction of the folded fabric which was previously required is solved, by

mounting the triangle-like folding frame substantially in a vertical rather than a horizontal plane and with its own outgoing apex in correspondence with the entry gle-like folding frame for taking the open fabric from a fabric roll to feed a continuously folded fabric to a seaming and fabric roll winding up station. The winding up station is made up 'of a sewing machine and winding up assembly arranged in series. The apparatus is characterized by the fact that the triangle-like folding frame is practically vertical and its incoming side is practically parallel to the longitudinal axis, which is also practically vertical, to the axes of the fabric roll holder. The apparatus is further characterized also by the fact that it includes means for supporting the triangle-like folding frame, by which the said triangle-like folding frame can oscillate about a vertical axis. By reason of this oscillation the said means is able to move in a direction practically perpendicular or normal to that of the forward movement of the folded fabric.

A further characteristic of the present apparatus,as will be seen later on, is'that the triangle-like folding frame can slide or adjust in the direction of its own central axis on the supporting means, thereby making it possible to locate the apex of the triangIeJike frame as near as possible to the seaming and winding up station.

Finally it can be noticed that the present apparatus is fitted with a locking element to retain the trianglelike folding-frame mounted in correspondence with the entry of the seaming and winding upstation.

The aims and advantages of the present invention are those which are inherent and which will become apparentfrom the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

' FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 respectively show a side and plan view of an apparatus according to the present patent application feeding a seaming and winding up station;

FIG. 3 represents an enlarged view of the means for the checking and the automatic adjustment of the alignment of the folded fabric edges.

With special reference to the FIGS. 1 and 2 it can be seen that the apparatus for the closure in piping of opened fabrics includes'a triangle-like folding frame 1 of the open fabric 2, the latter being schematically shown with a dotted line in the FIG. 2. The triangle-like folding frame 1 is practically vertical and is made up of an incoming side 3, an upper sliding side 4 and a lower sliding side 5, the latter joining at an outgoing apex 6 in correspondence (aligned) with the entry into the seaming and winding up station indicated in its whole with the number 18.

The triangle-like folding frame 1 is mounted on supporting means including a frame work 8 sliding on guides 16 fixed to a frame 17 which is on its turn fixed to the seaming and winding up station 18. The framework'8 is fitted with wheels 19 which make it possible its translation movement on the guides 16. The framework 8 is also fitted with a brake 20 of a well-known type for. locking it in a predetermined position on the guides 16. As is particularly noticeable-in FIG. 2 the framework 8 slides in a direction which is practically normal to that of the forward movement of the folded fabric indicated as F in the station area 18. On the framework 8 there is fixed a fabric roll holder standard 7 in which there is housed the fabric roll holder in a well-known way (not shown). In the standard 7 there is mounted a bar 9 having threaded ends 10 on each of which there is mounted a sliding collar that is 11 provided with a cantilever arm 12 suitable to support a roll holding disc 13 and center locking parts 14.

In its central part the threaded bar 9 is fitted with a driving arrangement operated by a handwheel by means of which it is possible to move discs 13 toward and away from each other to clamp the ends of a fabric roll. In the central part of the standard 7 there is fixed a bracket 21, which also belongs to the supporting means of the triangle-like folding frame and which is connected with another bracket 22 in an adjustable way.

To this purpose the bracket 21 is fitted with two holes in which the screws 23 and 23a are tightened; the screw 23 is inserted into the correspondent hole on the bracket 22 while the bracket 23a slides in a hole 24 made on the said bracket 22.

In the bracket 22 there slides and turns a rod 25 representing the central axis of the triangle-like folding frame 1 which connects the central point of the incoming side 3 with the outgoing apex 6 of the said trianglelike folding frame 1.

As can especially be noticed in the FIG. 1 the incoming side 3 of the triangle-like folding frame 1 is fitted with a turning rod 3a that is mounted parallel with side 3. The triangle-like folding frame at the lower end of the incoming side 3 is coupled by means of a joint comprising screw 26 and nut screw 27 to a motor 30. To effect this coupling the triangle-like folding frame 1 is fitted with a protruding part 28 fixed to a ring 29 which is secured to the joint and in a well-known way to the nut screw 27.

The screw 26 is driven by the driving motor 30 by means of a reduction-run deviation unit 31. The driving motor 30 and the reduction-run deviation unit 31 are placed in an adjustable way on a cross 32 of the framework 8. This unit also includes a fixing element of the triangle-like folding frame 1 made up of a rod 33 whose longitudinal axis is parallel to the central longitudinal axis of a couple of rolls 34 between which the folded fabric 2a slides at the entry into the seaming and winding up station 18. In particular the rod 33 is practically horizontal and connects the outgoing apex 6 of the triangle-like folding frame 1 with the frame 17. In fact the rod 33 can slide and be locked in the desired position by means of a screw 36 in a bracket fixed to a support 37 of the seaming and winding up station 18; the said frame 17 also being fixed to the support 37.

The apparatus for the closure in piping of opened fabrics finally includes checking and automatic adjusting means for the alignment of the edges of the folded fabric. The said means includes a sensor element 38 such as a photo-electric cell and a device 45 for returning the fabric edge to the predetermined path upon being activated by the photocell. In particular each sensor element 38 includes plates 73 between which the fabric edge to be surveyed makes a translating movement. The said plates 73 are supported by a bracket 74 which is adjustable on the line with a further bracket 75 by means of a knob 42 and can be'fixed in the desired position by means ofa screw 44. The bracket 75 is adjustable as to height on a further bracket 40 by means of a knob 41 and can be fixed in the desired position by means of a screw 43. As shown in FIG. 3 the brackets 40 each supporting a sensor element 38 may be fixed in any known way to guiding bars 65. In each of them there is mounted a rotating shaft (not visible) for the working of a torque at right angle including a shaft 76 placed horizontally on which there is keyed a driving roller 39 belonging to the returning device 45. Each rotating shaft inside the guiding bars is connected with a driving reduction unit 63 and 64 with two output connections fixed by means of nuts 97 to a bracket 77 made in a standard 78 fixed to the frame 17 on a cross 79 (FIG. 2).

Each bar 65 includes in the upper part a support 80 on which there is eccentrically pivoted a supporting pin 81 of a drawing roller 66 which is idle on the said pin 81.

In particular the drawing roller 66 is at a distance from the roller 39, but can be approached to it. In fact, both pins 81 are connected by means of a gear including an arm 67 and a rod 68 keyed together in 82 with a control device made up of an electromagnet 69 connected with the sensor element 38 and supported by a bracket 83 fixed to the standard 78. The rotation axes of the rollers 39 and 66 lay on a plane forming an acute angle a with the fabric edge (FIG. 2) in the direction of its movement forward. There is finally designed for each returning device 45 a spring 84 to return upwards the arm 67 and therefore the drawing roller 66. This spring in fact has an end connected with a protruding part 85 fixed to the guiding bar 65 while the other end is connected with the arm 77.

The seaming and winding up station 18 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is made up of a sewing machine 60 of a well known type fixed to a board 3711 of the support 37 fixed to the frame 17. The station 18 includes also a winding up unit 61 placed in series with the sewing machine 60 on the same board 370. The winding up unit 61 includes a control roller 70 coupled with an intermediate roller 71 which co-operates in returning the folded and sewn fabric from the sewing machine 60. The winding up unit 61 finally includes a winding up roller 72 on which the fabric roll is wound up. The control roller 70 is driven in any well known way while the roller 71 rotates as it is in contact with the roller 70; the winding up roller 72 is connected by means of a slipping clutch (FIG. 2) with an independent control (not visible). Hence it is possible to drive the winding up roller 72 at a speed higher than that with which the driving roller 70 is driven. The winding up roller 72 can turn on oscillating arms 91 around a pin 92 to compensate for the radial increase in the size of the fabric roll. The pin 92 is mounted on two projections 93 of shoulders 94 fixed to the board 37a and designed to support the rollers 70 and 71. In particular the roller 71 can move vertically in order to allow the fabric to be inserted at the beginning of the working cycle.

The working of the apparatus for the closure in piping of opened fabrics according to the present Patent Application is the following. The apparatus is made ready by inserting the fabric roll to be unwound to be folded double and cloded in piping, between the ends 14 of the fabric roll holder 7 by adapting the reciprocal distance of the adjustable elements 11 and suitably rotating the handwheel 15.

The initial part of the opened fabric is then laid on the rod 3a and drawn on to the triangle-like folding frame on the external part in relation to the fabric roll holder 7 up to reach the rollers 34. Finally the first part of the fabric now folded is inserted into the sewing machine 60 and therefore into the winding up unit 61. During these operations it is necessary to check that the fabric edges are each inserted in between the driving and drawing rollers of the returning devices 45 as well as between the plates 73 of the sensor elements 38 and at the end the edges of the folded fabric must be aligned with the needle 60a of the sewing machine 60. In order to eliminate any possible ruffling the trianglelike folding frame can be made to oscillate on its own central axis by means of the driving motor which causing the rotation of the screw 26 controls the forward movement to one or the other direction of the nut screw 27 and therefore the movement to the opposite direction of the upper apex of the incoming side 3 connected by means of ajoint with the nut screw 27. These oscillations are made possible as the central axis 25 of the triangle-like folding frame 1 is housed and can turn in the bracket 22 fixed to the (1; other bracket 21. The triangle-like folding frame can also rotate around a vertical axis and this is possible by moving away the screws 23 and 23a causing successively the rotation of the bracket 22 around the screw 23 on the bracket 21. The final position is obtained by tightening again the screws 23 and 23a. It can be noticed that this adjustment involves the movement of the triangle-like folding frame 1 to the direction of its own central axis 25 and this is possible as this central axis 25 is housed and can slide in the bracket 22. This sliding is necessary as, rotating the trianglelike folding frame 1 around its screw 23, the outgoing apex 6 of the said triangle-like folding frame 1 moves along an arc circle while being connected with the locking element 33 it must move along a rectilinear line which is practically parallel to the rollers 34. In particular it can be noticed that in correspondence with the outgoing apex 6 of the triangle-like folding frame 1 the latter is fitted with a joint 95 of a well known type in order to allow the rotation around its own central axis 25. Besides the locking element 33 is keyed in 96 on the outgoing apex 6 of the triangle-like folding frame 1 in order to allow the triangle-like folding frame 1 to rotate in relation to the locking element 33 when it is made to oscillate after loosening the screws 23 and 23a.

It can also be noticed that the triangle-like folding frame 1 can be made to translate moving the frame 8. The obtained position is fixed by operating on the brake 20.

Once performed these adjustments, which are necessary to eliminate any ruffling and mount the fabric well stretched, the apparatus is ready to start a working cycle that is the carrying out of a roll of folded and sewn fabric from a roll of opened fabric.

In any well known way there are operated the driving roller 70 and the winding up roller 72 and then the fabric is continuously unwound on the triangle-like folding frame 1, then it passes through the rollers 34, the sewing machine 60 getting finally to the rollers 70 and 71.

In this situation the sensor elements 38 indicate that the fabric edges are aligned and therefore the returning devices are inactive. If during the working of the apparatus one of the two edges should move towards the triangle-like folding frame, the affected sensor element 38 would be excited causing .in turn the excitation of the correspondent electromagnet 69 and therefore the closing of the driving 39 and drawing rollers 66. As the rotation axes of the said rollers 39 and 66 are parallel and the plane on which they lay forms an acute angle a in relation to the direction of the forward movement of the fabric edge their action is of a kind which returns the edge to the outside that is moving it away from the triangle-like folding frame 1.

At this point the photo-electric cell goes back to its rest position de-energizing the electromagnet 69 thus causing the moving away of the rollers 39 and 66.

It can in this way be noticed how we can get the fol lowing advantages with an apparatus here described and object of the present Patent Application:

a. reduced dimensions of the apparatus in relation to the well known apparatuses as the triangle-like folding frame is exactly placed in correspondence with the entry into the seaming and winding up station 18 thus eliminating the way covered by the fabric;

b. no need to make use of an operator as the alignment of the edges at the entry into the station 18 is automatic;

c. the least possibility in the formation of ruffles in the fabric to be folded as the mentioned regulations are enough and this being in particular having the trianglelike folding frame disposed vertically.

The descriptions and explanations hereinbefore set forth are given by way of describing a preferred em bodiment of invention and are not intended to be limiting in nature as alterations and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art all within the scope and purview of the present invention.

1 claim:

1. In an apparatus for continuously folding a length of cloth in half with its edges in registry for subsequent sewing, the combination comprising:

a. a triangle-like folding frame including:

(1) an incoming side disposed substantially vertically to receive a web of cloth from a supply roll having its axis substantially parallel to that of said incoming side;

(2) upper and lower sliding sides extending from the upper and lower ends of said incoming side respectively and converging in a vertically disposed plane to an apex; and

(3) a central axis rod disposed in a substantially horizontal plane extending from said incoming side to the apex of said upper and lower sliding sides,

(b) a support frame for said triangle-like folding frame, and

(0) means mounting said triangle-like folding frame on said supporting frame whereby said folding frame can be oscillated about both vertical and horizontally disposed axes and whereby said supporting frame can be moved laterally back and forth with respect to said supporting frame.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein automatic sensor means is mounted on said framework to indicate when the edges of the fabric are not in registry and wherein means are provided to respond to said sensor means and automatically return the edge to registry.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said sensor means is a photocell.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means includes rollers enabling lateral movement of said folding frame.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 whereinthere is provided an elongated substantially horizontal rod attached to said folding frame adjacent the apex thereof and wherein means are provided within which said elongated rod can slide and be held locked in a preselected position.

means is mounted on said frame and is operably connected to said folding frame adjacent said incoming side to effect oscillating movement of said folding frame about a vertically disposed axis.

* III 

1. In an apparatus for continuously folding a length of cloth in half with its edges in registry for subsequent sewing, the combination comprising: a. a triangle-like folding frame including: (1) an incoming side disposed substantially vertically to receive a web of cloth from a supply roll having its axis substantially parallel to that of said incoming side; (2) upper and lower sliding sides extending from the upper and lower ends of said incoming side respectively and converging in a vertically disposed plane to an apex; and (3) a central axis rod disposed in a substantially horizontal plane extending from said incoming side to the apex of said upper and lower sliding sides, (b) a support frame for said triangle-like folding frame, and (c) means mounting said triangle-like folding frame on said supporting frame whereby said folding frame can be oscillated about both vertical and horizontally disposed axes and whereby said supporting frame can be moved laterally back and forth with respect to said supporting frame.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein automatic sensor means is mounted on said framework to indicate when the edges of the fabric are not in registry and wherein means are provided to respond to said sensor means and automatically return the edge to registry.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said sensor means is a photocell.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said support means includes rollers enabling lateral movement of said folding frame.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein there is provided an elongated substantially horizontal rod attached to said folding frame adjacent the apex thereof and wherein means are provided within which said elongated rod can slide and be held locked in a preselected position.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein support means are provided on said frame and said central axis rod is passed through said support means to provide for oscillation of said folding frame about said axis rod.
 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein drive means is mounted on said frame and is operably connected to said folding frame adjacent said incoming side to effect oscillating movement of said folding frame about a vertically disposed axis. 